For Sale: 1985 Tyrrell 012 Formula One

1984 was a year of ups and downs for a young Stefan Bellof. He took six victories and won the Drivers’ Championship for the 1984 World Supercar Championship season in his Rothmans Porsche 956.

It was also his first year in Formula One, driving alongside Martin Brundle for Tyrrell. Despite running an increasingly-antiquated naturally aspirated three-litre Cosworth, Bellof produced his best result – a third – from a remarkable performance dancing in the rain around Monaco. However; ups and downs – Tyrrell and their cars were disqualified from the entire ’84 season and stripped of their points for a rule infraction.

Change was everywhere in ’85. It marked Niki Lauda’s final season in Formula One, the first victories for Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell and the final push towards 1.5-litre turbocharged engines. It was time for Big Power, and by the end of the season all teams had changed from naturally-aspirated to turbo motors.

Bellof was back for the second race of the season running this naturally-aspirated Tyrrell 012. He put in some amazing performances in the first half of the season, demonstrating his raw talent by taking on the more powerful turbo cars and bringing home 4th and 6th place finishes in Detroit and Britain respectively.

The Tyrrell team switched to a turbo Renault motor after the British Grand Prix, but Bellof sadly never got to demonstrate his true potential in Formula One, as he passed away in an accident during the 1000 Kilometers of Spa.